After the excitement of the wave competition, the 2013 "JEEP" IFCA South American Slalom Championships started on Thursday on the Gallito Ciego lake.

The timing couldn't have been better, as the waves and wind died at the coast but it actually picked up at the lake/dam Gallito Ciego where the slalom was held (about 45 min drive). Excellent conditions during the two days ranged from 18 to 23 knots. which made for very nice sailing in this most amazingly beautiful venue. Most sailors decided on 7.0' to 7.8' and 6 finals were completed.

8 rounds completed, with five discards, Wilhelm Schurmann (BRA-9) clinched the championship with a perfect score of 5 - half the score of his closest rival, fellow countryman Matias Pinheiro with 10 points, who was three ahead of another Brazilian, Joao Henrique. Joao was the only competitor who managed to snatch a race win off Wilhelm in round 4.

The Pacasmayo Classic was an incredible event, with excellent conditions, great sailors and last but not least, the amazing atmosphere that the Peruvian people pass to everyone that comes to this fantastic spot.

A special thanks to the race committee, head judge Chriss Freeman, organizers Jaime from El Faro and Ricardo Guglemino who really went out of their way to make sure the event was outstanding.

With just one heat left to sail, despite light winds and a diminishing swell, we had the luxury of picking the best possible moment to call the heat. We met early to check the conditions and were on hold much of the day. Ingrid and Kevin sailed out to check and evaluate the conditions after lunch, and after about 30 minutes they started to pick up more waves and the countdown was on. With 5 competitors and only one chance to run the heat, it was decided that one five man heat would be run in a 45 minute window. The three judges were positioned on the cliff above, with a perfect vantage point to witness the magic about to happen.

Brazilan rider Christian Saurer (18), who had impressed in the Pro division a couple of days ago, was first to take control of the heat catching the two best set waves in the first half of the heat. He rode the biggest waves with style he put everything into each turn showing his surfing prowess.

Tom Juban (16) clearly has learned a lot from riding with his older brother, and despite finding it hard to hook into the set waves, rode well. He could not quite match his level in the Pro division and fished in 5th.

Alex Vargas (18) from Chile, former Youth World Wave Champion (2011) and third placed rider here last year, battled for position in the tricky conditions riding some amazing long waves. His best wave included three aerials pushing him closer to a top spot.

Bernd Roediger (16) was finding it difficult to get the biggest and longest set waves, having to settle for some smaller sections which he destroyed with amazing style! With a head dip aerial in the bag, despite having shorter rides, he was going to be in the running if he could only pull one big move. Unfortunately for Bernd, he crashed his Air Taka, so it was the larger waves and longer rides of Christian that were too much. It was only by the narrowest of margins, a couple tenths of a point on all three judges.

Morgan Noireaux (18) and Bernd came very early to Peru to work on their port tack sailing, and Morgan's experience as a goofy foot surfer clearly has helped his wave riding. He picked off set waves way out the back and upwind, demonstrating a combination of style and power to come from behind in the heat clinching the U20 title. Morgan's precise and powerful turns were the biggest difference for the judges.

You know riders are having fun when they decide to stay out on the water, rather than returning to the beach for the results. We waited for nearly a hour for them to return to the El Faro Adventure Resort where we have been staying this week!

This concludes the 2013 AWT Pacasmayo Classic and with a few days left here in Peru, riders will be enjoying more waves yet!

"Having a 45 minute heat was incrediblebecause we could wait for better waves and take the risk without running out of time that made the battle very exciting for everyone I wish could be always like that I was relaxed and having fun although the conditions were tricky, wind was light and sets would take some minutes once you get a nice wave was super fun." Christian Saurer

The final was pretty sweet. We had head high waves coming off the point in really light off-shore wind, can't complain! I think all five of us managed to get some rides we felt good about. I'm super impressed by how much all these guys rip! It's always cool to see new riders your age out killing it. The energy out there was more like a free-session than a serious comp, we were all feeding off that vibe and it made the surfing way better! I feel like I did the easy part out there just cruising in the surf. I owe a lot of thanks to my sponsors for getting me out to this sweet wave, and to Jaime Rojas at El Faro Adventure Resort for giving me the all-inclusive stay right on the beach! Also thanks to Chris Freeman and all the judges for putting on this AWT/IFCA contest. These guys did all the real work! I really look forward to coming back here next year to enjoy this incredible left! Bernd Roediger

I've been here almost three weeks and have scored non stop conditions the whole time. Today was once again a great day. The wind was quite light but having a 45 minute heat with all the guys really allowed us the time to get some waves and battle it out. With the level of the other riders and the conditions during our heat I had a hard time judging my own performance so I'm really happy to have come out on top! Morgan Noireuax

Another day of competition saw the completion of the Masters and Amateur rounds. Conditions were once again very good. Waves were a little smaller than yesterday, but still gave plenty of opportunity for clean down the line riding.

Head Judge Chris Freeman opted to run through the Amateur bracket first. The Amateurs were excited to get under way, and showed their enthusiasm on the water. Highlights included our youngest competitor, 15 year old Alessio Botteri, finishing in second place. He chose set waves and rode them well. You can see that if he continues to practice windsurfing, he will be one to watch in the future.

With the completion of the Pro bracket yesterday, the Pros were able to relax and sail on their own time today. The wave at El Faro in Pacasmayo is so long, that there is plenty of room for competitors to spread out and sail. There was no shortage of action for spectators to watch throughout the day.

The Masters got under way in the afternoon as the winds picked up nicely. The talent level was very high as 2 of the top 3 pros are also Masters. As expected, both Kevin Pritchard and Willhelm Schurmann advanced through their heats for an epic clash in the final. Willhelm's signature tight turns and lip busting hits scored very high. Kevin put down long high speed rides, big aerials and some very impressive cutbacks. The swell had backed off as the tide receded making wave selection all the more important. Willhelm and Kevin traded set waves, but in the end, it was Kevin who impressed the judges the most to take the victory

Day 2 AWT Pacasmayo Classic

What a day! Today was the day for the pros. We started early and ended late. Conditions offered up strong winds, long peeling lefts, and plenty of action for the spectators to watch. Waves were overhead and most riders were using 4.7 and 5.0 meter sails.

The first heats were run in light offshore wind, which made for some perfectly glassy waves. The opening heat saw Kevin Pritchard advance with his consistent powerful style. Heat 2 was dominated by AWT newcomer Wilhelm Schumann from Brazil, who has shown himself to be a force to be reckoned with. Russ Faurot, who is more at home at Ho'okipa, adapted well to port tack sailing winning his heat. Bernd Roediger was the standout of heat 4 compiling an impressive 2-wave total, including a flawless Taka at the end of his heat. The next heats saw Morgan Noireaux, Levi Lens, Alex Vargas, and Camille Juban all advance to the 3rd round of the AWT's new style bracket, which sees riders rewarded for taking risks and going for victory in round 1.

Round 2 did not disappoint, as all the sailors were motivated to stay in the contest and enjoy the perfect Peruvian waves. Christian Saurer and Tom Juban put on the best show, as they fought their way through to compete in the Quarter Finals. Tom continued his impressive run all the way to the semifinals where he placed 4th overalll.

As the day went on, the wind picked up and the moves got bigger. Judging was difficult because all the riders sailed so well. We saw big aerials, powerful turns, and some really impressive wave moves, such as Camille Jubanâ€™s flawlessly executed goiter in the Final. Camille racked up one of the highest point totals in an AWT heat ever, with a perfect 10 from one judge, and high 9's from the others. Camille showed his superior waveriding skills, and was crowned 2013 Pacasmayo Classic Champion at the end of the day.

While we have completed the Pro Men's bracket, there is still much more action to come. The Masters, Amateurs, Youth, and Women still have heats to go. Stay tuned for all the latest AWT news to come. Check out our Facebook page for all the photos of the day, results and more

Day 1 started off with good news. Makael Buhon, who was pulled from the water in serious condition yesterday, is recovering in a nearby hospital. It is not yet known what caused the accident, but without the swift action of his fellow competitors and the El Faro staff to bring him to safety, we may have been reporting a different story. We want to give a massive thanks to everyone who helped with his rescue.

The contest got under way today with strong winds and small waves. The call was made to start with the Amateur heats and move on to the Masters as well. Even though wave conditions were challenging, riders were still able to rack up long rides with critical turns.

Some of todays highlights included Brazilian, Willhelm Schurmann whose powerful style and hard slashing turns impressed the judges. Also, Chris Freeman and Kevin Pritchard made their debut's as Masters riders at an AWT event. Each sailed well enough to win their heats, and advance straight to the 3rd round. We won't be seeing them in the Masters in other AWT events, but there is a special exception in South America where we abide by IFCA Rules.

Amateur standouts included Canadian sensation Ingrid Larouche, winning her heat and moving on to the 3rd round. Also, 15 year old Alesio Bateri from Lima Peru, showed excellent skill in dispatching his competition, choosing the best waves and riding them with style.

Stay tuned as we look for bigger waves, and hope to get the pros started soon.

IFCA Wave & Slalom Championship in Pacasmayo, Peru

Following the success of last year's combined wave and slalom event in Brasil, the International Funboard Class Association (IFCA) has accepted an offer from the Peruvian Windsurfing Association to host the 2013 " JEEP" IFCA Slalom & Wave South American Championship. The event will take place in Pacasmayo, Peru, between the 25th - 31st August.

The slalom racing will take place on Gallito Ciego Lagoon, and the wave competition in front of the El Faro Adventure Resort in Pacasmayo.

The scheduling will take into account the forecast to ensure the most suitable discipline is selected in the right conditions; and to enable competitors to enter both championship disciplines.

The wave competition will also form part of this year's American Windsurf Tour (AWT). Sam Bittner, AWT manager, announced that Josh Stone will be the Head Judge.